POPE TO VISIT CASERTA ON SATURDAY 26 AND MONDAY 28 JULY

Vatican City, 17 July 2014 (VIS) – Pope Francis will visit the city of Italian city of Caserta on 26 and 28 July, the Holy See Press Office confirmed today. In the afternoon of Saturday 26, upon invitation by the bishop of the diocese Giovanni D'Avise, he will meet with the Catholics of the city and celebrate the Mass of St. Ann, probably in the park of the Royal Palace of Caserta. The Holy Father will return to the Vatican that night and on Sunday 27 he will pray the Angelus with the faithful in St. Peter's Square, as usual. On Monday, 28 July, he will return to Caserta to pay a private visit to his friend, the Protestant pastor Giovanni Traettino, and his community.

POPE FRANCIS RECEIVES AN AUTOGRAPHED “ALBICELESTE” SHIRT

Vatican City, 17 July 2014 (VIS) – The players of the Argentine national football team have given Pope Francis an “Albiceleste” shirt signed by all the members of the team. Although Argentina fell at the final hurdle during the final of the World Cup 2014 in Brazil, losing 1:0 to Germany in extra time, the team said they were confident the Pope thought of them throughout the tournament.

A large-scale wall photo of the team with the Pope was installed by the Asociacion de Futbol Argentino (AFA) at the Brazilian sports complex where the team trained during the World Cup, a snapshot taken when the team visited Pope Francis in the Vatican, on the occasion of the friendly match against Italy in his honour.

IN MEMORIAM

Vatican City, 17 July 2014 (VIS) – The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Bishop Guy Gaucher O.C.D., auxiliary emeritus of Bayeux-Lisieux, France, on 3 July at the age of 84.

- Bishop John Jobst, S.A.C., emeritus of Broome, Australia, at the age of 94.

- Bishop Estanislau Amadeu Kreutz, emeritus of Santo Angelo, Brazil, on 6 July at the age of 86.

- Bishop Guillermo Leaden, S.D.B., auxiliary emeritus of Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the age of 100.

- Bishop Pietro Nonis, emeritus of Vicenza, Italy, at the age of 87.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 16 July 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- appointed Bishop Tarcisio Scaramussa, S.D.B., auxiliary of the archdiocese of Sao Paulo, as coadjutor bishop of Santos, Brazil.

- appointed Bishop Juan Carlos Vera Plasencia, M.S.C., prelate of the territorial prelature of Caraveli, Peru, as military ordinary of Peru (priests 77, religious 14), Peru.

- appointed Archbishop Bernardito C. Auza, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations (UN) as Holy See permanent observer to the Organisation of American States (OAS).

- appointed the following as consultors, for a five-year period, of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life: Archbishop Bruno Forte of Chieti-Vasto, Italy; Archbishop Angelo Vincenzo Zani, Italy, secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education; Sister Marcella Farina, F.M.A., ordinary lecturer in fundamental and systematic theology at the Pontifical Faculty of Science of Education “Auxilium”, Rome; Fr. Jose Cristo Rey Garcia Paredes, C.M.F., vice director of the Theological Institute of Religious Life of Madrid, Spain; Fr. Robert J. Gesinger, S.J., lecturer in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University, procurer general of the Society of Jesus, Rome; Fr. Loic-Marie Le Bot, O.P., dean of the faculty of canon law of the Catholic Institute of Toulouse, France; Sister Maria Domenica Melone, S.F.A., rector of the Pontifical University “Antonianum”, Rome; Fr. Pier Luigi Nava, S.M.M., lecturer in formation in consecrated life in the Pontifical Faculty of Science of Education “Auxilium”, Rome; Fr. Jesu Maria James Pudumai Doss, S.D.B., extraordinary lecturer in the faculty of canon law in the Salesian Pontifical University, Rome; Fr. Bruno Secondin, O. Carm., ordinary lecturer emeritus in modern spirituality and foundations of spiritual life at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome; Fr. Yuji Sugawara, S.J., dean of the faculty of canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome; Elena Lucia Bolchi, member of the Ordo Virginum of the archdiocese of Milan, patron of the Lombard Regional Ecclesiastical Tribunal, Milan, Italy; Lourdes Gross Garcia, M. Id., director of the secretary of the Spanish Episcopal Commission for Consecrated Life, Madrid, Spain.

THE POPE CALLS FOR URGENT INTERVENTION IN THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS OF MIGRANT CHILDREN

Vatican City, 15 July 2014 (VIS) – Yesterday Pope Francis sent a message to the organisers, speakers and participants in the “Mexico/Holy See Colloquium on Migration and Development”, which was read during the inaugural session of the event by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. In the text, the Pontiff urges the international community to promote the adoption of new forms of legal and safe migration and called for protection and a suitable reception for the many children who migrate cross the border with the United States unaccompanied. He also highlights the need for policies to inform potential migrants of the dangers of such a journey and above all, for initiatives to promote development in their countries of origin.

“Globalisation is a phenomenon that challenges us, especially in one of its principal manifestations which is emigration. It is one of the 'signs' of this time that we live in and that brings us back to the words of Jesus, 'Why do you not know how to interpret the present time?'. Despite the large influx of migrants present in all continents and in almost all countries, migration is still seen as an emergency, or as a circumstantial and sporadic fact, while instead it has now become a hallmark of our society and a challenge.

“It is a phenomenon that carries with it great promise and many challenges. Many people forced to emigrate suffer, and often, die tragically; many of their rights are violated, they are obliged to separate from their families and, unfortunately, continue to be the subject of racist and xenophobic attitudes.

“Faced with this situation, I repeat what I have affirmed in this year’s Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees: 'A change of attitude towards migrants and refugees is needed on the part of everyone, moving away from attitudes of defensiveness and fear, indifference and marginalisation – all typical of a throwaway culture – towards attitudes based on a culture of encounter, the only culture capable of building a better, more just and fraternal world'.

“I would also like to draw attention to the tens of thousands of children who migrate alone, unaccompanied, to escape poverty and violence: This is a category of migrants from Central America and Mexico itself who cross the border with the United States under extreme conditions and in pursuit of a hope that in most cases turns out to be vain. They are increasing day by day. This humanitarian emergency requires, as a first urgent measure, these children be welcomed and protected. These measures, however, will not be sufficient, unless they are accompanied by policies that inform people about the dangers of such a journey and, above all, that promote development in their countries of origin. Finally, this challenge demands the attention of the entire international community so that new forms of legal and secure migration may be adopted.

“I wish every success to the laudable initiative of the Mexican government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in arranging a colloquium of study and reflection on the great challenge of migration and cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to all those present”.